Signs of changing times: Downtown parking rules to change July 1

Published: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 05:34 PM.

New parking regulations intended to free up on-street parking in Burlington’s downtown will start on July 1, following almost two years of studies and plans.

For years, downtown business owners and residents have complained about some drivers overstaying the on-street parking time limits or performing the “two-hour shuffle,” moving their cars to the next available spots to avoid tickets.

Business owners said the on-street spots were prime real estate and should be made available to downtown visitors to encourage shopping and the local economy, and others complained that some drivers were abusing their handicapped tags to stay in the same on-street spot all day long.

In Oct. 2011, Burlington contracted the consulting firm Carl Walker, Inc., to conduct a study of the existing downtown parking situation, collect public opinion and develop both short- and long-term solutions to the downtown parking drama.

Last year, the city’s staff agreed to use the study to pinpoint specific parking issues raised, and this year the City Council voted to make the following changes to the downtown parking system:

New parking regulations intended to free up on-street parking in Burlington’s downtown will start on July 1, following almost two years of studies and plans.

For years, downtown business owners and residents have complained about some drivers overstaying the on-street parking time limits or performing the “two-hour shuffle,” moving their cars to the next available spots to avoid tickets.

Business owners said the on-street spots were prime real estate and should be made available to downtown visitors to encourage shopping and the local economy, and others complained that some drivers were abusing their handicapped tags to stay in the same on-street spot all day long.

In Oct. 2011, Burlington contracted the consulting firm Carl Walker, Inc., to conduct a study of the existing downtown parking situation, collect public opinion and develop both short- and long-term solutions to the downtown parking drama.

Last year, the city’s staff agreed to use the study to pinpoint specific parking issues raised, and this year the City Council voted to make the following changes to the downtown parking system:

■Drivers illegally using handicap tags could be issued state citations, resulting in fines up to $250

State law prohibits time restrictions on drivers with handicap tags, which allows them to stay in time-limited one- and two-hour parking spaces for as long as they want.

“We hope people who are using those tags are using them for the right reason,” City Manager Harold Owen said.

In addition to the new regulations, the city will convert 92 spaces in city lots No. 11 and No. 2 to all-day parking spaces, and will add lighting and increase visibility by maintaining shrubbery in city lot No. 1, according to a news release.

Burlington will review downtown parking occupancy and turnover on a biennial basis, so adequate parking is consistently available in the downtown area.

“A lot of it is going to depend on how downtown develops,” said Owen. “In some ways, additional challenges are good, because that means business has picked up, too.”

Detailed maps of city lots and parking spaces are available online at www.BurlingtonNC.gov/dtparking. Questions about parking citations should be directed at the Burlington Police Department at 336-229-3503.